Apparatus for impregnating wood.



PATBNIED MAY 12, 1-903,

.J. L. FERRELL. APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING WOOD.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 6, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

v INVENTOR: v JOSfP/l L Fffififll,

WITNESSES:

Patented May 12, 1963.

' PATENT QFFICE.

JOSEPH L. FERRELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATIN G WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,928, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed December 6, 1901. Serial No. 84,915. (No model.)

My improvements relate to apparatus com prising a receptacle wherein a body of wood" may be inclosed and impregnated by injecting-a fluid reagent therethrough under pressure at one end thereof in the direction of the grain of the wood. 7

It is an object of my present invention to minimize the time and labor required to insert and remove the .wood with respect to the receptacle by providing the latter with a slidable lid.

My invention comprises the novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter specified and claimed.

The-particular employment of my apparatus which I at present contemplate is in connection with the fireproofing of wood, and I will therefore simplify the following description by adverting only to such use thereof, it being understood, however, that I donot,

therefore, intend to limit my'claims accordingly.

In the drawings, Figure I is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus conveniently embodying my improvements. Fig II is a transverse sectional view of said apparatus,

taken on the line II II in Fig. I. Fig. III'is a transverse sectional view taken on the line Fig. IV is a sectional view III III in Fig. I. showing a modified arrangement of gaskets to seclude the end of the wood.

In said figures, 1 is the impregnating-receptacle adapted to inclose the body of Wood 2 within the space 3,'conveniently supported upon the rollers 4. Said receptacle is provided with inlets 5 6, respectively controlled by the valves 7 8, and corresponding outlets 1O 11, respectively controlled by the valves 12 13. The preserving compound may be introduced to the receptacle 1 under pressure by means of said inlets 5 and 6 and the pressure maintained until the wood is impregnated through its outer circumference. However, I find that impregnation may be more rapidly and uniformly effected by injecting the solution in the body 2 under pressure at one end thereof in the direction of the grain of the wood and simultaneously permitting the fluid of solution to escape from the opposite end of said body until the specific gravity of the escaping liquid is substantially equal to that of the solution, then preventing the further escape of liquid from the discharge end of the wood, and continuing the injection of the solution under pressure until it is distributed radially from the center through the substance of the wood and appears at the circumference thereof. operation of course necessitates the seclusion of the'endslo 16, of the body 2, so that they may be subjected to the pressure of the solution or. be opened to the atmosphere at the will of the operator, and for this purpose I construct the apparatus as follows:

As shown in Fig. I, one extremity of the receptacle 1 is provided with the externallyprojecting chamber 18, inclosing the circumferential inwardly-facing seat 19, and the sliding gate or lid 20. Said lid 20 is adapted to close against said seat and to be withdrawn into said chamber, the rotatable stem 21 being engaged with the nut 22, so as to slide the lid when said stem is rotated in one direction or the other by means of the hand-wheel 23. Said chamber 18 is conveniently provided with the vent 24. Said lid 20 is provided upon itsinner face with the packing-ring 25, which incloses the duct 26, extending through the lid, and the pipe 27 is screw-threaded at its inner extremity, so as to be readily connected with said duct 26 when the lid is closed and detached therefrom to permit the lid to be opened. Said pipe 27 is controlled by the valve 28 and connected with the flexible conduit 29. The opposite extremity of said receptacle 1 is closed by the removable lid 31, which is provided with an adjustable abutment comprising the thrust-plate 32, provided with the packing-ring 33. Said plate 32 is in swiveled connection with the thrustbar 35, which is entered through the stuffingbox 36 in threaded engagement with the nut 38, which is fixed in said lid. Said thrustbar being provided with the hand-wheel 39 may be rotated in said nut 38, and thereby Such an IOO adjusted longitudinally through the lid 31. Said plate 32 is provided with the duct 42, which is in communication with the pipe 43 and controlled by the valve 44, in connection with the flexible conduit 45, the arrangement being such that although the bar 35 may be rotated to advance or retract the plate 32 said pipe 43 remains in fixed relation with said plate.

In order to secure the wood 2 in the position shown in Fig. I, the thrust-plate 32 is retracted to permit the insertion of the wood clear of the sliding lid 20 while the latter is uplifted, and the wood is conveniently progressed within the receptacle by rotation of the rollers 4 within the recesses 9 by means of their exterior cranks 14. Then the lid 20 being lowered to the position shown the wheel 39 is rotated and the plate 32 thereby advanced until the opposite ends 15 and 16 of the wood 2 are respectively compressed and sealed in connection with said plate 32 and said lid 20. Thereafter the preserving solution may be injected within said body 2 from one end thereof, as last described.

As indicated in Fig. II, the recesses 9 in the bottom of the receptacle 1 are provided with ports 40, controlled by valves 41, which may be utilized to drain the receptacle 1 when desired.

It is of course desirable for rapidity of operation to inject the preservative through as large an area of the end surface of the wooden bodies 2 as is possible, and for this purpose the single opposed gaskets 25 and 33 above described may be made of the maximum diameter capable of secluding the end of the body 2. However, I find that many commercial timbers are radially cracked at their circumference, and in order to treat such bodies without permitting the escape of the preservative through such cracks I find it advantageons to provide means to adjustably vary the area of seclusion of the end surfaces of said bodies. I have typically illustrated such means in Fig. IV, wherein the lid 49 is provided with a plurality of concentrically-disposed resilient gaskets 50, which respectively inclose the independent ports 51 and 52, respectively controlled by the valves 55 and 54. It is to be understood that the arrangement described is such that either or both of the spaces secluded by the respective gaskets aforesaid may be utilized in the impregnation of the wood to variably determine the area through which the preservative is injected.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of the apparatus which I have illustrated, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention.

I claim- 1. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of an externally-projecting chamber arranged at the end thereof; a circumferential, inwardly-facing, seat arranged around the end of said receptacle; a slidable lid adapted to close against said seat and to be withdrawn into said chamber; means connected with said lid whereby it may be shifted to and from said chamber and said seat; means within said receptacle arranged to seclude one end of a body of Wood inserted therein; a fluidport opening through said lid; and means to control said port, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of means for opening and closing said receptacle, comprising a slidable lid secured at one end thereof; a removable lid at the opposite end of said receptacle; a gasket of resilient material within said receptacle supported by one lid thereof; means in the other of said lids arranged to adjustably thrust a body of wood within said receptacle, against said gasket; a fluid-port for the space surrounding said body within said receptacle; means to control said port; a fluid-port for the space inclosed by said gasket; means to control said port; rollers mounted to rotate in said receptacle; and means exterior to said receptacle arranged to actuate said rollers, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of an externally-projecting chamber arranged at the end thereof; a circumferential, inwardly-facing, seat arranged around the end of said receptacle; asliding lid, adapted to close against said seat and to be withdrawn into said chamber; means, connected with said lid, whereby it may be shifted to and from said chamber and said seat; means, within said receptacle, arranged to seclude one end of a body of wood inserted therein; and, means to control the pressure of fluid at the secluded end of said body, independently of the remainder thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of an externally-projecting chamber arranged at the end thereof; a circumferential, inwardly-facing, seat arranged around the end of said receptacle; a slidinglid, adapted to close against said seat and to be Withdrawn into said chamber; means, connected with said lid, whereby it may be shifted to and from said chamber and said seat; means, carried by said lid, arranged to seclude the end of a body of wood inserted in said receptacle; a fluid-port opening through said lid in communication with the secluded end of said body; and, means to control said port, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of means for opening and closing said receptacle, comprising a transverselyslidable lid secured at one end thereof; a removable lid at the opposite end of said receptacle; a gasket of resilient material within said receptacle supported by one lid thereof; means in the other of said lids arranged to be longitudinally adjusted to thrust a body of wood within said receptacle, against said gasket; a fluid-port for the space surrounding said body-within said receptacle; means to control said port; a fluid-port for the space inclosed by said gasket; and, means to control said port, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of a reciprocatory member mounted at each end of said receptacle, arranged to engage the respectively opposite ends of a body of Wood Within said receptacle; means mounted on one of said members arranged to independently seclude a plurality of separate areas of one end of the body of Wood; and means to independently control the pressure of fluid in said secluded areas, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with an impregnatingreceptacle; of areciprocatory member mounted at each end of said receptacle, arranged to engage the respectively opposite ends of a body of .Wood, resilient gaskets mounted on one of said members arranged to independently seclude a plurality of separate areas of g JOSEPH L. FERRELL.

"Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. PAIGE, PHILIP SIsToR. 

